Subhi Agrawal
When Marlyne Barrett was initially diagnosed with uterine and ovarian cancer, she and her family leaned on their faith and braced themselves for the challenging health journey ahead. Now, the 46-year-old Chicago Med star is opening up about the difficult moments she faced before reaching “complete remission,” describing her experience as one of “joyful survival mode.”
Football-Sized Tumor On Barrett’s Left Ovary
The actress discovered her diagnosis in July 2022 during a routine checkup, where doctors identified a tumor the size of a football on her left ovary.
“It was huge. It started on the left ovary and took over and went all the way almost to the other. I looked like I had a full-grown fetus inside of me,” she told People.
Barrett underwent a total of 30 rounds of chemotherapy—15 before her surgery in December 2022 and 15 afterward. During her two-year treatment, she also needed paracentesis, a procedure to drain fluid from the abdomen using a needle or catheter.
“My stomach was accumulating this fluid that made me look like I was nine months pregnant. They were draining like eight or nine liters of liquid out of me that made me automatically lose like 15 pounds every time,” she said.
Barrett shared that the procedures and chemotherapy were accompanied by significant pain, with the initial six rounds of chemotherapy being particularly challenging for her.
“I looked emaciated, my cheeks were caved in. So it was quite special to still carry so much joy, although my body wasn’t yet turning around towards the healing.” she stated.
“It’s A Bittersweet Celebration”
Barrett kept her spirits up by working throughout her treatment, describing her time on the set of Chicago Med as “life-giving.”
She expresses gratitude to her Wolf Entertainment and Chicago Med family for their support during her challenging journey, highlighting their role in “creating a system of care.”
As of July 2024, Barrett is delighted to be in “complete remission.” However, cancer cells may remain in the body and can cause cancer again in the future.
“I feel fantastic. It’s a bittersweet celebration because you’re getting to know yourself, post- such an experience. You’re getting to know your body again, you’re getting to know yourself, so you’re celebrating with deep gratefulness,” she said.
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